


Survivor: Parabatai

by perpetual_j0urney



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blindsides and hidden immunity and exile island Oh My, Camp cuddles fluff, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, M/M, Malec, Malec outdoorsy feels, Multi, Parabatai Bond, Slow Burn, Survivor!AU, and by friends i mean allies, light clace, lots of challenges and tribal councils to come, mature rating for future sexy scenes/language/risky challanges
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-18 13:27:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7317046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetual_j0urney/pseuds/perpetual_j0urney
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Survivor!AU !!<br/>___</p><p>Alec and Jace (mostly) jokingly decide to send in an audition tape for Survivor, but neither thinks they'll get a call back.  Before they know it, they are on a plane to Samoa where their physical and mental abilities will be put to the ultimate test for 39 days.  That is, if they don't get voted off.  </p><p>What Alec expects to happen on the island is a fun adventure with his younger brother, what he doesn't expect is Magnus Bane.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Alec! Jace! Get in here, the show’s about to start,” Isabelle called to her brothers.After being banished from the kitchen, she had retreated to the living room and started assembling a cozy nest of blankets and pillows for her and the boys to watch the television from.

“We would be in there already if you didn’t try to take over making the snacks,” Alec replied, entering the living room with three large bowls stacked precariously in his arms.“Honestly, Izzy, how could you mess up popcorn that badly?”

“Besides, we were there! We know what happens, who cares if we miss a few minutes?” Jace added, following closely on his older brother’s heels.He was balancing an assortment of glasses and a large pitcher on a serving tray, trying not to spill any while navigating their new apartment.The glasses were empty, still waiting to be filled with the orange-red liquid in the pitcher. 

Isabelle had put Jace in charge of making the perfect season premiere viewing party drinks, and he chose to make Mai Tai’s.Alec noted the tray also had three small shot glasses filled with a clear liquid, vodka.The three siblings didn’t have time to drink together often, so when they did, Jace made sure they went all out. 

Isabelle snatched a bowl of popcorn from Alec before returning to the blanket cocoon she had made herself in the middle of the couch.After arranging the snacks and drinks on the small coffee table, Alec and Jace each took their place on either side of their sister.

“So what? I wasn’t there, remember?And anyway, you don’t know how they put the footage together so you’re seeing this for the first time too,” Isabelle challenged.“And Jace, don’t even pretend your ego isn’t screaming on the inside about the idea of being on TV”. 

Alec barked out a laugh at his sister’s jab.She had a point, Alec knew very well that his brother’s primary motivation to land a spot on the show was the outcome of being on millions of television screens worldwide. 

The siblings settled onto the couch and Alec skillfully poured their first round of Mai Tai’s.They were ready for the premier with ten minutes to spare.

“Before we get our Mai Tai on,” Jace leaned forward and picked up two of the shot glasses and handed them off to his siblings, before retrieving his own and holding it up in the air.“I propose a celebratory shot for the amazing challenge Alec and I accepted, and to Izzy, for finishing your internship and being offered a job in that marketing agency!”

Alec wrapped an arm around his sister’s shoulders and dropped a lazy kiss on the side of her head.“We are so proud of you, Izzy!We knew they would want to keep you full-time after all the work you did as an intern”.

“Guys, you can’t even compare what I’ve been doing here with all of the incredible things you were doing in Samoa, but I appreciate it anyway,” Izzy said, a sly grin slowly spreading on her face.

“Isabelle, we can, and we did.Your accomplishment is just as important as ours, and will be celebrated as such,” Jace replied definitively.“Now, let’s drink!”

With that final word, the three knocked back their first round of shots and fell into a fit of laughter as the clock ticked closer to eight.

________

_-Eight Months Earlier-_

Alec and Jace were in the middle of an intense workout when the unmistakeable sound floated through the training room.Alec had always used the same ringtone for all his contacts, except for one.After sending in their audition tape, Alec changed the alert tone for the phone number that would be calling them with any information to the loud drone of an alarm.And now, the number was calling them.

Jace’s fist was halfway to the bag when he pulled his punch.Slowly, Alec’s head appeared from behind the punching bag he had been holding steady for Jace, and the two boys held each others gaze.

Realizing the phone was still ringing, Alec quickly crossed the room to where his cell sat on a bench with their towels and drinks.

“Hello?” Alec hesitantly answered the call.

Jace remained by the punching bag in the center of the practice room, the shock leaving him unable to will his legs to move closer to his brother.If Alec didn’t give Jace an idea of what the caller was saying, he was going to scream.

“Y-yes, that’s me.Yes, he’s here too.O-okay, y-yeah we can do that.No, no, no, that’s not too soon, we’ll be there.Okay, great, thank you.Okay, bye,” Alec stammered.The oldest of the Lightwood siblings always had the hardest time communicating with others, so of course he was the one to receive the call and not his more personable brother. 

Alec stayed quiet, staring down at his phone in disbelief for another minute before Jace couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Who was it!? What did they say!? Say something Alec!”

“We have an interview.In person.A meeting with the casting crew.In two days, in the city,” Alec quickly began explaining.“They are emailing us all the information, but there was a team they were planning on interviewing that backed out and they are looking to fill the spot”.

“Shit, Alec!Holy shit!” Jace, finally regaining power over his legs, flew across the mat and had Alec engulfed in a bear hug in one swift movement.While Alec is taller than Jace by a considerable number of inches, both boys are equally matched in strength.Jace had no problem lifting his older brother off the ground and spinning them around in a circle.

“We need to get home and tell Izzy! Like, right now.We need to go,” Alec, managing to escape his brothers arms, began gathering their things and heading for the door of their private training room. 

Jace, Alec, and Izzy had all been very fitness oriented from a young age, so when the three decided to open a gym together, their parents had no difficulty helping them get started.Robert and Maryse Lightwood had made a name for themselves as high profile lawyers in the New York area, and they were more than willing to help their children accomplish their goals. 

Although their parents helped them start their business, they made it clear the siblings were completely in charge of it’s operation.Alec and Jace handled personal training and most of the group classes, while Isabelle was in charge of marketing and human resources, occasionally picking up yoga and self defense classes when needed.They didn’t have many employees, but most were close friends who shared their passion for fitness.

“I’ll go tell Lydia we’re leaving early,” Jace started running down the hall to the front desk.“We’ll have to call in some favors to get coverage while we’re in the city for the interview, too.I’m sure Isabelle can step in and train our clients on Friday”. 

Alec mulled this over for a moment, searching for his car keys in his duffel bag. _If this interview goes well,_ he thought, _Izzy would have to start hiring new trainers to fill in while they were on location right away._ Isabelle would not be happy about this, since most of the qualified local trainers were already working in their gym.She would probably have to start networking with other independent gyms in the area and strike a deal with their trainers.

Finding his keys, Alec pushed all thoughts of work and responsibilities from his mind and focused on being excited about this opportunity.While he would have never taken this giant leap out of his comfort zone on his own, knowing Jace will be by his side the whole time gave Alec a confidence he didn’t he was capable of having.

Alec could hear his brother telling Lydia, one of their kick boxing trainers, an excuse for as to why they were both leaving early.As Jace watched Alec emerge from the back, they both said goodbye to Lydia and quickly made their way to the parking lot.

“I told her we had a last minute conference with Mom and Dad’s financial advisor about possibly expanding.I love Lydia, but we couldn’t tell her this huge news before our own sister!” Jace explained quickly, regarding his brother’s questioning glance.Alec winced, knowing he wouldn’t have thought of a fake story quick enough if he had went to talk to Lydia.

“That was a good call, Isabelle would have murdered us if she wasn’t the first to know.We can call and tell Lydia the truth later tonight, after her night class ends”. 

The boys talked excitedly the short drive back to their apartment.They would normally run the mile or so from the apartment they share to the gym, it keeps them in shape and is easier than battling the traffic.However, late January weather in upstate New York can get extreme, and both boys hated running in ice and snow. 

The drive is quick, and before Alec and Jace know it they have the car parked in the underground lot and are hurriedly scaling the three flights of stairs to their apartment.There was an unspoken agreement that they had too much energy to take the elevator.

They reach their door, _3B_ engraved just above the small peep hole, and barge inside.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going!” In their rush to get inside, Alec and Jace nearly ran over the very person they were looking for.In a fraction of a second, the boys had Izzy in the air, both fighting to get their arms around their sister for a hug.“Seriously, guys! What is going on!?Put me down, I’m already late for a coffee date with Meliorn!”

“They Called!” Both boys shouted at the same time, not releasing their hold on the smallest Lightwood. 

“What?Who called?And why aren’t you guys teaching your classes right now?”

“Isabelle,” Alec said flatly, pulling back to look his sister in the eyes.“ _Survivor_ called, we have a follow up interview!They loved our audition tape and they want us to be at their office in the city in two days for an interview”.

“Guys!That is incredible!Hold on a second,” Izzy replied, taking her arms back from her brothers and pulling out her cell phone, tapping it quickly.

“Seriously, Iz?You can’t even give us two minutes of your time to tell you about our news?” 

Isabelle looked up from her phone briefly to throw a scornful look at Jace, before fixing her gaze back on the screen and continuing her message then returning the phone to her pocket.

“I was sending a text to Meliorn letting him know I had to cancel our date, because my _hermano_ s e _st_ _úpidos_ just got some incredible news that I want to celebrate with them,” came her sharp reply.Jace smiled sheepishly at her, apologizing for his harsh assumption.

Izzy ushered her brothers further into the apartment, grabbing three shot glasses and a bottle from the kitchen on her way.Seeing this, Alec gave his sister a look that said _really, Iz?_

“What?It’s five o’clock somewhere!Okay, tell me everything!Two days? That’s such short notice isn’t it?” Izzy asked.

“It is,” Alec jumped in, beginning his explanation of what the associate he spoke to had told him.“The interview wasn’t originally meant for us, but another pair of applicants backed out at the last minute.They said we were on an alternate list in case something like this happened, and we were the top pick to fill the open spot.”

“Time out, time for a shot!” Izzy had been carefully pouring their drinks while Alec was talking, only spilling a little due to her excitedly shaking hands. 

The siblings clinked their glasses and threw back their shots.Alec only slightly cringed when the sharp taste hit his throat, but he pushed it down and continued telling his brother and sister about the call.

________

Time passed in a blur as Alecand Jace prepared for their interview.They had to work extra hard with their clients, since most were agreeing to alter their schedules in order to accommodate the interview. 

Isabelle didn’t bat an eye at her need to step up with the gym.While she had cut back her time dedicated to their business while focusing on school, she knew that this was finally her chance to help her brothers, instead of the other way around.Alec and Jace have come to their sister’s rescue more times than she is willing to admit, and they rarely ask for anything in return.Every free moment Isabelle had was now dedicated to the gym: picking up a few extra classes, taking a shift at the front desk so one of the other employees didn’t have to, starting a search for new trainers (just in case the boys were selected for the show). 

Basically, Izzy made it her mission to ensure everything was as easy as possible for Jace and Alec.They had enough to worry about preparing for the interview, she could handle managing a small gym.

And, as expected, the boys were more than gracious for their sister’s efforts.The two days they had to prepare were hectic, and nerve wracking, but also exciting, and invigorating.While both were trying to keep a realistic mindset about their likelihood of being selected, they couldn’t help being hopeful.

They left their small apartment early Friday morning, around six o’clock, each dropping a kiss on Izzy’s sleeping head. She would kill them for not waking her up to say goodbye, but she has been working so hard they didn’t have the heart to wake her. 

Their interview wasn’t until ten, but both boys are prone to being unnecessarily early and they wanted to ensure they had enough time to navigate city traffic and find the building they were meant to go to.Although the Lightwood siblings had lived in New York State their entire lives, New York City was foreign to them; their family only venture to the city on rare occasion for shopping, or a play. 

The trip down to the city took longer than expected, rush hour hit harder than than they had thought it would.Still, they arrived at the dauntingly tall Manhattan building just before nine, with an hour to spare.They entered the building and began their seemingly never-ending elevator ride.While the car ride was filled with excited chatter, the brothers now fell into a nervous silence, both feeling overwhelmed.The rumble and stutter of the elevator coming to a slow stop on the twentieth floor shook them of their internal crises. 

With one final _ding!_ , Alec and Jace turned to look at each other before the door opened into a quiet reception area.They approached the desk and told the secretary their names and appointment time before taking a seat. 

They were offered coffee, both graciously accepting.That was another difference in the Lightwood siblings: they took their coffee in various ways.Alec, the always serious man’s man, only drank black coffee.Jace, in contrast, needed enough milk and sugar to turn the naturally dark liquid a creme, off-white color.Lastly, Isabelle preferred her coffee iced, but in the winter would only order some kinda of flavored latte.Not one of them ever tried to enforce their coffee style on the others. 

“Alexander and Jace?”The brother’s heads snapped up as they heard their names being called.The young secretary that greeted them was now standing up from her desk.“They are ready for you, if you would follow me, please”.

The boys jumped to their feet, silently looking each other over one last time before moving towards the receptionist.

The three quietly made their way down a long hall, large posters of past season competitors lined the walls.Alec let himself pay attention to each poster he passed, scanning the faces of the old players.Some faces he recognized, he and Jace had spent many nights while they were young watching with their mother.He thought, maybe that was why they were so determined to get chosen.

Finally, the receptionist stopped and beckoned them into Conference Room Seven.As she opened the door, three people stood from the long mahogany table to greet them.A short man in an expensive-looking suit spoke first.

“Hello, you must be Alexander and Jace Lightwood.My name is Adam Drucker,” the man gestured to the two women on either side of him, “these are my colleagues, Lynne Spillman and Cindy Deukmejian.”

Alec and Jace shook each of their extended hands, exchanging greetings, and were ushered to have a seat across the table from them.

“You can just call me Alec,” the older Lightwood sheepishly requested.

“Of course, Alec,” The middle-aged woman Adam had referred to as Cindy replied.“We are members of the casting crew.Thank you so much for meeting with us on such short notice.”

“It was no problem, we weren’t expecting to even get a call so we just dropped everything once we got the news,” Jace said, getting ready to start charming the associates.

“Let’s start, shall we?” The other woman, Lynne, eagerly began the meeting.“We would like to know a little bit more about the two of you as individuals, and your relationship as brothers.Can you tell us anything you may not have included in your video submission?”

Alec and Jace shared a quizzical glance.They had made the video for fun, and it was so long ago they were having a hard time remembering.

“Um, well I guess the first thing would be that we are not actually biological brothers,” Alec began with a laugh.

“Really?” Adam was the first to respond.“It’s clear you two don’t look alike, but we just assumed one of you dyed your hair.The differences are noticeable now.”

“May we ask why you didn’t include this detail in your video?” One of the women asked.

Jace took the initiative from Alec and began explaining the events of his childhood that led to his joining the Lightwood family.

“We didn’t include it because it’s not something we generally thing about,” he started.“My birth parents were close friends of Maryse and Robert, Alec’s parents.I basically grew up with Alec and his, _our_ , sister, Isabelle.When I was ten, my parents both died in a car accident while I was at the Lightwood’s for a sleepover,” he paused for a moment while taking in the change of his interviewer’s faces from interest to remorse.“No one could believe that it happened, it was so unexpected.Maryse couldn’t stand to see me get tossed around the system, so they adopted me”.

“We didn’t think to add it before because Jace has always been a part of our family.He’s not just some kid we took in, he was a brother to Isabelle and me from the first time his parents brought him over for a playdate.Adding the word ‘adopted’ doesn’t change the fact that he’s my brother,” Alec quickly added.

“We’re very sorry, Jace, that is an awful thing for a child to go through”.

“The circumstances suck,” Jace said, “but I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t have Alec looking out for me.He’s really the reason I am who I am.He pushes me every day to be a better person, to be both strong and compassionate, even when I’m struggling.I owe it all to him”.

Alec smiled at his brother and patted his knee under the table.They didn’t talk about the events that led to their close relationship often, but he and Jace both knew they had a huge impact on each other’s lives.

After recovering from that piece of information and jotting a few notes, the casting directors continued asking questions.They asked about their educational backgrounds and the business they had started together.They determined that Alec was the dutiful older brother, while Jace had the tendency to be more of a free-spirit.They asked a quick question about their brother, Max, who they mentioned passed away while still a young child in their video.Not wanting to infringe on another sore subject, they merely asked how dealing with so many hardships has impacted their lives.

“I think what we have gone through has only made us stronger,” Alec said, finally feeling more comfortable speaking up.“My siblings and I are all very ambitious; we work hard to achieve what we put our minds to, but we do not forget what it took to get us there.Like, for example, opening our gym.Our parents helped us get the money to rent the space, buy equipment, hire employees.We know the money they gave us would have been a college fund for Max, so it was very difficult for us to just take that money, that was meant for his future,” he huffed out a laugh, “and spend it on a _gym_.”

“I agree,” Jace was grinning now, too.“It was definitely hard to accept where the money came from, but at the same time it felt like Max was a part of the venture with us.Whether we got clients and started making the money back or failed within a year, Max was with us.When people ask what it’s like working with my two siblings, I always correct them.There aren’t three Lightwoods that own the Idris Gym, there are four.”

“Our final question,” Adam was back to business after considering Jace’s comments, “if you are selected to compete, what will you miss the most from home?”

Jace and Alec’s answer was unanimous.

“Isabelle”.

All three interviewers laughed. 

“Well, we could have guessed that!” Lynne said.“That’s it, just Isabelle?Two handsome young men like yourselves don’t have girlfriends that you’ll be missing while you’re suck on an island across the world?”

“Girlfriends?No.I definitely prefer to keep my options open, and with the gym I haven’t had the time to really look for any girls,” Jace replied.

“And I’m gay,” Alec said after finally regaining his composure.“So, yeah, no girlfriends for us”.

“Alec, we had no idea!I guess there’s another detail you left out of the audition tape,”Cindy said.

Jace cut in before Alec was able to form a response to this statement.

“I’m adopted, Alec is gay, and Izzy can’t cook to save her life.These are all things that don’t register to us as needing to be explained.We are who we are, that’s all there is to it”.

After a moment, and a few shared glances between the interviewers, Lynne finally spoke again.

“This is not how we usually do things, we have interviewed quite a large number of applicants in the last few weeks, but we have struggled to find a pair that fit into this season’s motif quite like you two do.Frankly, we’re afraid if we let you walk out today, we won’t find another team with a dynamic like yours again.So, Alec, Jace, how would you feel about going to Samoa?”

________

A few minutes later, the shock finally subsided and the brothers quickly accepted the offer.Adam spoke for a few minutes about the logistics, they would need to be on a plane in just under two weeks.

But they were going to Samoa.They had submitted an application for fun, not thinking they would even get a response, and here they were planning travel arrangements and hoping Izzy has had luck finding new trainers.

After receiving a few information packets, mostly regarding how to prepare for this competition, the physical nature of the challenges, and the side effects of living with the bare minimum of food and supplies for 39 days, the boys were back on the road and headed for home.

They had sent Izzy a quick text (in response to the twenty she left yelling at them for leaving that morning without saying goodbye) instructing her to do whatever she had to do to be home at three o’clock. 

Her response came immediately.

 

_From: Isabelle_

_(1:07p) I’ll be there. Even if I have to kick clients our and close the gym._

_(1:09p) P.S. I’m still pissed at you both, but I’ll be there._

 

Alec shook his head at his little sister and read the message to Jace.The were both still freaking out after stopping for lunch, and Jace had made Alec let him drive the rest of the way home, claiming he was too ‘pumped up’ to just sit shotgun.

When they finally walked through their apartment door, Izzy threw her textbook to the side and sprinted the short distance from the couch to the door to greet her brothers.

Before saying anything, she pulled them both into a rib-crushing hug.Izzy may be small, but she trains just as hard as her brothers, and takes every opportunity she gets to remind them she is just as fit as they are.This time, however, she was not trying to show off.

After a few more seconds, Isabelle pulled back and looked at her older brothers expectantly.Alec made her wait just another moment before telling her what she wanted to hear.

“We’re going to Samoa”.

________

“I still can’t believe you guys are leaving me”.

The morning of Alec and Jace’s flight had finally arrived.Izzy had solemnly driven her brothers to LaGuardia that morning, where they were now getting ready to board their flight.

“Isabelle, we’ve been through this a million times.You know we would take you if we could, but you have school and someone has to keep the gym running,” Alec chastised his younger sister.

“I know, I know, I’m just really going to miss you guys.39 days is a long time...”

“And it will probably be more like 42 days...”

“Not helping, Jace,” Alec scolded, after seeing Izzy’s face fall a little more.“Lydia will be here with you, and you know Mom and Dad aren’t that far away if you need them.You can use my car as much as you want, just be careful if you drive to the gym, that area can be bad at rush hour and no one can drive”.

“I know, I’m actually excited to spend more time with Lydia.I’m having her help me find trainers and she’ll be like my assistant manager when I’m in class.The apartment is just going to seem so empty without you guys”.

Alec and Jace took turns hugging their sister and reminding her that the time would go so quickly, she wouldn’t even notice they were gone before it was time for her to come pick them up from the airport again.Sooner than any of them would have liked, it was time for them to say goodbye and make their way to their gate.

The flight went by quickly.They were able to get seats next to each other, and spent most of the trip quietly strategizing between short naps.Alec and Jace knew they would need two things in order to get through this game: a general plan of how they would attack the challenges, and enough rest to keep them going.The boys had spent the last two weeks preparing their bodies for the physical restrictions they would be under.This included their normal work outs, while also beginning to limit their food intake to start adjusting their bodies to the lack of nutrition they would get on the island.

Soon enough, the pilot’s voice was drifting through the speakers, letting them know they would be beginning their descent. 

After exiting the plane, they were ushered into a car that would take them to a dock, where a boat would be waiting to bring them, and the rest of the cast, to the filming location.

Getting to the dock, Alec and Jace immediately began sizing up their competition.From what Alec could see, there was about fourteen people, broken up into groups of two, standing around the dock.While some seemed to be attempting to mingle with others, most appeared to be keeping to themselves.Alec and Jace knew they were only accepting applications as doubles, so it was easy to tell who had come together.Some looked to be about his and Jace’s age, while others were older.Alec wondered how old was too old to be able to handle some of the physical challenges.

“Okay, if you guys would please start making your way onto the boat, we’re only waiting for one more team,” A crew member was beginning to urge everyone toward the boat.Alec let out a sigh of relief that they were not the last to show up. 

Right as Alec started getting on the boat, he heard two sets of feet running down the dock behind him.As he turned to look over his shoulder, he almost dropped his backpack over the edge in his astonishment. 

Running towards him was easily the most attractive man Alec had ever laid eyes on. 

The man looked to be about Alec’s age, but he was a few inches shorter, most people were, and had a beautiful caramel skin tone.His hair was jet black, and spiked straight up in the front, which Alec definitely liked.He was wearing a light blue button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a pair of tight khaki colored pants rolled just above his ankles.His shoes, Alec noted, did not look like they would be comfortable to spend 39 days, or probably less, running around in.

There was another man running just behind him.Alec could tell that these two men had very different personalities.While the first man was bright and elegant even in this setting, the other was dressed in all black, similar to Alec’s own wardrobe. 

By the time Alec had finished appraising them, the two men were coming to a stop a few feet away from him.Alec quickly turned and followed Jace onto the boat, moving to take a seat all the way in the rear.He noticed the two that had just arrived moved to sit in the front, but the one Alec found himself unable to stop looking at also seemed to be returning his stare with a knowing look.

Alec made it a point to focus on his hands in his lap for the remainder of the trip.

________

“Welcome, Survivors!My name is Jeff Probst, if you are familiar with _Survivor_ , you know I will be your host while on the island.For the next 39 days, you will be fighting for survival on this beautiful island of Samoa.The natural wildlife of Samoa will be testing your abilities, and I will be testing you, too.An incredible group of people has been working tirelessly to create the most physically, mentally, and emotionally stressful challenges for you, the first starting right now”.

Alec couldn’t believe this was happening.It hadn’t really hit him saying goodbye to Izzy, or on the plane, or even on the boat.But now, standing here with sixteen strangers, while a man tells them how the island is going to beat the shit out of them, it finally hit him.

“Your first challenge is both physical and mental.As you know, you have all come here as a team.This season of _Survivor_ will focus on the concept of the parabatai bond.In ancient Samoan legend, the parabatai are two warriors, bound by oath to fight together as one.These warriors are willing to lay down their lives in battle for their parabatai.You have all been selected to compete this season because we believed we saw your parabatai bond in your audition tape and interviews.Now, we would like to see just how strong that bond is during your first challenge.Each team of parabatai’s have a different color buff on, and the winners of this challenge will be the first to receive a reward”.

Alec and Jace shared a glance.The questions their interviewers asked weeks before about their relationship were all beginning to make sense.They had talked about reward challenges on the plane, and how crucial they would be to make it far in this competition.

Jeff went on to explain how the first challenge would work.The challenge had two parts, the first being physical.Teams, _parabatai’s_ , would have to complete an obstacle course together, however, if one didn’t complete an area correctly they both had to return to the start.The second part was a puzzle, meant to challenge how you and your parabatai could work together to analytically solve a problem.

“Survivor’s ready...Go!”

With that, Alec and Jace took a running start into the first obstacle.While some teams struggled making it over the inclined wall, the training Alec and Jace had been putting in for years let them scale the wall quickly and they were the first group into the second obstacle.This one was a little more challenging, involving crossing a small trench of water on a very thin, curving bar.The lead they already had on the others allowed them to slow up fractionally to ensure they wouldn’t fall.Alec could hear Jeff commenting to the camera crew in the background, but he forced himself to block it out.The last thing he needed was to get inside his own head and mess this up for Jace.

The third and final obstacle was a high cargo net, after climbing over the top, players would then have to drop to the group and crawl through the mud army-style under barbed wire. 

While climbing the cargo net, Alec looked over his shoulder to see a few teams working their way over the balance beams.Just as he looked, a nerdish boy and a redheaded girl, probably younger than Isabelle by a few years, were both falling off the bar into the water below and making their way back to the start.Alec laughed, taking in how scrawny they both were, and wondered how many days they would last.

Alec and Jace finished the obstacle course with ease, relishing in the workout they were getting, but not feeling totally challenged.

_“Brothers Alec and Jace, first to complete the obstacle course and can now start their puzzle...”_

Alec and Jace jogged the short distance and dumped a bag of puzzle pieces onto a large round table matching the deep green color of their buffs.Immediately, Alec started locating pieces with a smooth, rounded side that would make the perimeter, while Jace began looking for a pattern.As they had seven of their ten pieces put together, another team was beginning their puzzle.This team appeared to be a father and son, both tall, thin, and with striking facial features and blonde hair.They creeped Alec out, if he was honest.

It didn’t matter, though, because it only took Alec and Jace another minute before they had their puzzle together and their hands in the air for Jeff to judge them.

“Winners of the first reward challenge: Alec and Jace!” 

The other teams stopped where they were, most wearing matching looks of defeat. 

“Alec, Jace, as reward, you each have a choice of one tool that will be yours as long as you are on the island”.

The boys approached Jeff and analyzed their options.Alec’s eyes immediately found a bow and quiver, and he grabbed it instinctively.Jace took a moment longer to decided before retrieving a long handled machete and throwing a lopsided smile at his brother.

“Use those tools wisely, boys, you never know when you will get another reward.Now I’ve given you something, but I will also have to take something.I’m going to need to ask for those buffs back”.

Jace and Alec slowly removed their buffs, handing them back to Jeff hesitantly.

“Everyone remove your buffs and drop them in front of you.I need all teams to separate, one of you over here,” Jeff gestures to his left, the side Jace is standing on, “and one over here,” gesturing off behind Alec.“This season is focused on the parabatai bond, but there is a twist.You will not be playing alongside your parabatai, but rather _against_ your parabatai.Alec, and everyone standing to this side, will now be the _Iloa_ tribe.Jace, and the rest of you, will now be the _Malosi_ tribe.You can grab your new buffs.

“Say goodbye to your parabatai, and follow these maps to your tribe’s camp.There will be some materials waiting there for you.Goodnight, Survivors”.


	2. Chapter Two

Alec was lost in his thoughts as he and his new tribe made their way to camp.  Since Jeff had handed Alec the map, he had taken the lead and was silently maneuvering the overgrown trails marked on the thin parchment. 

The realization that he was not going to be going through this game with Jace by his side had left Alec reeling.The two had been basically inseparable since they were children, they kept each other safe and grounded.Alec didn’t know how he was going to manage these challenges knowing Jace was on the other side.

Alec was pulled out of his thoughts by someone coming up behind him.He turned and saw it was the tall, blonde boy that had instantly given Alec an uneasy feeling. 

“A bow and arrow, really?You couldn’t have chosen something that would be actually useful to us?”The boy said with a sneer.

Alec measured up his new teammate.After the shock of being torn from Jace, he hadn’t taken the time to properly appraise the member of his tribe.He looked over his shoulder and noted the seven people following him blindly through the jungle now.

First, he found the scrawny, nerdy boy he had watched fall from the balance beam during the reward challenge.He had a head of seemingly untamable curly brown hair, that came to a stop just above his large, round glasses.He was struggling to keep up while trying not to trip over exposed roots and uneven ground.Alec determined him to be nonthreatening to his game and moved on to the next person.

One of the two older men in their tribe was a tall, African American man with sharp, well-defined facial features.He was wearing dark cargo shorts and a gray shirt with the sleeves cut off, showing his enormous biceps and two full tattoo sleeves.Although everything about this man’s physical appearance screamed intimidating - they were in a competition, after all- Alec couldn’t help but notice his kind eyes and the agile way he moved through the woods.He seemed to be about forty years old, but Alec definitely thought he was a good-looking man.He liked mature men, sue him.

Alec quickly scanned three other faces: a thin Asian woman who was probably around Alec’s age, an older woman that had the ‘soccer mom’ look, and the oldest man, who looked to be a stiff businessman. 

Finally, Alec saw him.The man who had arrived last to the dock that morning and left Alec breathless had been put into this tribe.Alec noted that, even after running the obstacle course earlier today, his hair was still spiked up as perfectly as when he first saw him.He noted that the shoes he had worried would be uncomfortable were no longer on his feet, replaced by a pair of lightweight hiking shoes.He still wore the khaki’s, and his button up shirt was now open revealing a tight black tank top underneath.Alec could tell that even though this man looked preppy, he was definitely in shape for the challenges ahead.After a long moment, Alec forced himself to look away and back to the creep next to him.

“Since I won the challenge, I really don’t think I need to explain anything to you,” he started, flatly.“But, since, you must know, I am a trained archer.Remember that in a few days when you’re eating food that I will probably have caught”.The boy’s grimace faltered, only slightly, but Alec caught it and continued his retort.“And if you’ve ever watched this show, you would know that there will be some rough supplies when we get to our camp, so this was the best thing for me to take”.

Alec didn’t deem the creep worthy of another glance, and increased his pace by a fraction to put some distance between them.The boy fell back without another word, but Alec knew that would not be the last he would hear from him.

After a few more minutes of walking, the path opened to a small clearing.Alec could just make out the shoreline through the trees, they were near the coast.He spotted a small pile of materials, as he expected, Jeff had left them some supplies to start their camp.He folded and pocketed the map, not wanted to give it up to any of the others just yet, and made his way to the pile to asses their provisions.

The others tentatively followed him, keeping a bit of distance while Alec began going through the basket of supplies. 

“What’s in there?” The young woman Alec had mentally marked as ‘nonthreatening’ asked.

“Flint, a few bags of rice, a small pot, some blankets, and a tarp.That’s about it,” Alec replied, standing back up and straightening the bow and quiver slung over his shoulder. 

“So what’s the plan?” Nerdy boy sheepishly asked, looking pointedly at Alec.

“Why are you asking him?I don’t remember anyone putting _pretty boy_ in charge,”The blonde demon, Alec’s apparent nemesis, had found his voice once again.Alec took a second to think about the string of Spanish profanities his sister would be screaming at the TV when she saw this douche giving him a hard time already.

Before he was able to respond, the muscular older man finally spoke.

“Clearly this kid knows how to play the game, and, unlike any of us, he’s already won a challenge.If we want to get this camp set up tonight, we’re going to have to work together,” he paused, looking at Alec.“What’s your name, kid, or would you prefer we stick to ‘pretty boy’?”

No, Alec would most definitely _not_ prefer that.

“Alec,” he replied, shaking the man’s outstretched hand firmly.

“Alec, I’m Luke.You and your parabatai played the reward challenge really well.If my buddy Hodge didn’t have a bad leg, I’d like to think I could have given you a run for your money”.

Alec chuckled and ducked his head at the compliment.His first impression had been right so far, Luke seemed to be a genuinely kind man, and Alec could feel a had trustworthy vibe radiating from him.

The scrawny boy cut in, excitedly telling them his name was Simon, and that he was only nineteen years old.He had come to the island with his childhood best friend, the small redhead, he called Clary.The boy, _Simon_ , had barely said two sentences and Alec knew he would annoy him the entire competition.Still, not a threat.

The Asian girl told them her name was Aline, and that she had come on the show with her longterm girlfriend, Helen.Alec appreciated having something in common with Aline, hoping he could form a bond with her over their sexualities if need be.She was twenty-seven, older than Alec by just three years, so they should be able to get along.Alec was also correct about the soccer mom, Cathy, she was in her late forties and was more than happy to tell Aline all about her three children that she missed already.The oldest man, who Alec guessed had been a businessman, briefly said his name was Mike, and that he came to compete with his daughter.Mike seemed visibly uncomfortable with his mostly young tribe. 

The blonde asshole hissed out a harsh ‘ _Sebastian, not here to make friends_ ’.

Alec had been distractedly playing with his bow when a new voice spoke.His head snapped up, listening intently to the smooth, confident voice that seemed to float through the air to Alec’s ears.The man was standing on the opposite side of the small clearing from Alec, staring intently into his eyes.

“My name is Magnus, and while this little ‘get to know each other’ game is quite charming, I suggest we get back to the matter of setting up camp.I propose we start searching for materials to make a hut of some kind, we’re not going to want to sleep on the ground, especially when it starts raining”.

Alec, now being able to openly look at this man, _Magnus_ , noticed a few more details he didn’t originally see while walking through the dark foliage.There was a delicate _swoosh_ of black eye liner around the man’s eyes, and a light blue coat of polish on his fingernails, which Alec watched flip gently through the air as he spoke.What Alec had thought was a plain black tank top, he could now see had the message ‘ _I’m here, I’m queer_ ’ across the front in a sparkling black glitter.Everything about this man was opposite of Alec, yet Alec could not help feeling an attraction to him.

He thought about including Magnus in his hypothetical alliance with Aline, but, at the moment, it was easier for Alec to dismiss Magnus as a useful player than imagine working side by side with him.He was already clearly attracted, what would happen to Alec’s focus if he actually _got to know him_?

It was a distraction Alec couldn’t afford to have.He needed to play smart, for Jace.

He realized, then, that Magnus was still staring at him, waiting for a response.Alec pushed all thought of the man’s undeniable beauty out of his mind; he had to focus on the challenges and staying in the game, not his hot tribe member.He quickly got back to his feet and started rummaging through the supply baskets again.

“It’s getting too dark to go too far from camp, we should gather a few small sticks and branches to start a fire,” Alec began strategizing aloud.“Once we have a fire going, we can start boiling water for drinking and the rice.The sky was clear today, so we don’t have to worry about rain tonight.We can work on making an elevated hut tomorrow in the daylight”.

Luke and Simon quickly agreed with Alec’s plan, and started moving to find the firewood.Aline took the pot and ran toward the beach just outside of their camp’s perimeter.Sebastian seemed to be busying himself with setting up his own sleeping area, while the other two, who’s names Alec had already forgotten, waited for some sort of instruction from either Alec or Luke.

Alec tried not to let the disgruntled huff of Magnus get to him, he couldn’t afford to think of anyone else’s feelings except his and Jace’s.Alec and Jace were playing this game together still, they just needed to avoid getting voted off the island until the merge in a few weeks.They could be apart for that long, right?

Shaking his head, Alec reminded himself to focus on the present.Luke was arranging the sticks Simon had gathered into a teepee and adding brush as kindling.Once they were ready, Alec began striking the flint, willing the kindling to catch.After a few strikes to no avail, Alec felt a hand grab his wrist.

Alec turned his head, ready to snap at whoever decided it was a good idea to _touch him_ , but he faltered when his gaze landed on flawless skin and two warm, chocolate brown eyes.

“You’re striking too hard,” Magnus, giving up his watchful post at the base of a tree, was now dangerously deep in Alec’s personal space.Alec could smell the man’s cologne, relishing the scent that would soon be lost to their harsh surroundings.Magnus took the flint from Alec’s hands, causing Alec’s breathe to hitch as he felt the other man’s fingertips brush over his skin.“You have to be forceful, but just a little gentler”.

With two smooth strikes, sparks danced from Magnus’ hands and the kindling was ablaze. _Of course_ , Alec thought, annoyed, _he has to be good at everything._

Alec dejectedly moved Magnus from the ‘ _nonthreatening_ ’ side of his mental list to the ‘ _threat_ ’ side.It would be much easier ignoring him and his distracting beauty if he wasn’t a danger to Alec’s position in the game.Regardless, Alec knew he had to keep his guard up around Magnus.

________

The rest of their first evening on the island was uneventful.There was low talk around camp from the chattier individuals, mainly Simon, but Alec kept to himself.Luckily, Sebastian decided it was in his best interest to leave Alec alone for the remainder of the night.

Alec had a restless night, too concerned with whatever wildlife may be rummaging around his area to sleep more than a few minutes at a time.Once the sun was high enough in the sky to break through the think overgrowth, Alec stood and stretched out his back. 

One thing was certain: they needed to make a secure sleeping platform.Soon.

Alec quietly rolled up his blanket and placed it back into the one of the baskets their supplies were left in.The fire was put out before the tribe went to sleep, but there was still some water that had been boiled down the night before in the pot, which Alec took a small sip from now.He had been the one to purify the water, so he deserved to drink it.

“ _Well, good morning_ ,”Alec startled, he wasn’t expecting anyone else to be awake yet.Especially not Magnus, who looked like someone who would require ‘beauty sleep’.Not that Magnus wasn’t beautiful without it, probably.

“Morning, I didn’t know anyone else was up,” Alec was choosing his words carefully.While he didn’t want to get too comfortable with his competitor, he also wasn’t out to burn bridges on the second day.Alec noticed that Magnus was quietly and meticulously working something in his hands.“What are you doing?”

Magnus looked up, a sly smile playing at his lips.

“Oh, the _pretty boy leader_ wants to know what little old me is up to?” Magnus replied, sarcasm dripping from every word.Alec couldn’t restrain the eye roll which was his natural reaction to a response like this.

Magnus only chuckled, motioning with one hand to a pile of small woven instruments laid out on the ground next to him. 

“The bark on some of these trees is easy to peel and perfect for weaving.I’ve started making a few baskets and bowls that may be useful.This kind,” Magnus held up the one he was currently working on, “is thick and can retain water when woven tightly, so we can drink from them instead of passing around a cooking pot”.

Alec slowly walked to wear Magnus was seated with his back to a tree on the outskirts of the clearing.Crouching down in front of Magnus, Alec pointed to one of the baskets, silently asking if he could take a look.Magnus gave a small nod, and continued weaving.

Turning the delicate material over in his hands, Alec was reminded, yet again, just how drastically he had devalued Magnus.This man could easily be Alec’s biggest threat in the game. 

_But_ , Alec thought, _he could also be my strongest alliance._

Alec decided he could wait a few minutes before starting the work he had planned on doing while the others slept, and took a seat on the ground in front of Magnus. 

“Do you think you would be able to show some of us how to do this?It would probably be smart if some of us were weaving while the others were building the elevated sleeping pallet,” Alec knew this was a risk, but strategizing with Magnus would probably more help than harm at this particular moment.

“I’m assuming by that you mean ‘teach Aline and Cathy how to weave’,” Magnus replied, curtly.“And probably Sherwin, too, right? While you _manly men_ do the heavy lifting-”.

Alec cut Magnus off before he could continue his rant that would probably wake the rest of the tribe.

“Do you mean _Simon_? And no, I wouldn’t mind learning to do this as well.I-I mean, if you’ll teach me, that is.We could all take turns between working on the hut and weaving.Y-you know, take a rest from the physical labour to weave for a while,” Alec had to cut himself off, otherwise he would likely continue nervously rambling for hours.

Magnus eyed him suspiciously, apparently not buying this explanation.Alec looked around him at the others, making sure they were still asleep, before turning back to Magnus and leaning in a fraction closer. 

“Between you and me, I would rather not pretend to be this ‘manly man’, as you said, all the time, but we’re playing a game here.Gotta keep up appearances,” he added, lowering his voice. 

“Why is being the leader here so important to you?”

Alec hesitated.He hadn’t realized how easy it would be to talk with Magnus.Alec was used to being completely uncomfortable interacting with anyone other than his siblings, so why was he able to talk now so easily?He shouldn’t be letting this guy get in his head, and yet...

“Being in charge isn’t important to me, I’m just accustomed to it.I have younger siblings that I was always left watching, I guess it’s just second nature”.

Magnus considered this for a moment.

“The handsome man you won the reward challenge with, I assume he’s your brother?” Alec nodded.“Well, I can’t say I see the resemblance, but I can tell good looks run in your family,” Magnus finished, confidently eyeing Alec causing a flush to erupt from his cheeks.

Alec nervously scratched the back of his neck, “We don’t look alike because he was adopted.We were raised together since we were in diapers, so it’s not something I usually tell people.He’s just my brother.But, yeah, he’s definitely got the uh-good genes, I guess?”Alec started out so strong, yet lost it toward the end of the sentence as he realized Magnus hadn’t stopped looking at him.

“I wouldn’t say that, Alec.Jace may be handsome, but his brother is _gorgeous_ ,” Magnus, seeming unaffected by the surroundings, was _not_ flirting with him.

He just wasn’t.

Alec quickly stood up, silently scolding himself for letting his competition get inside his head.They may be of the same tribe, but it would be every survivor for themselves the first time they had to go to tribal council.And Alec could not allow himself a false sense of security.

“I’m going to start searching the area.Uh- if anyone wakes up, why don’t you explain our plan for building the platform and weaving more tools,” Alec regained his composure and retreated to the woods, silently stalking away from camp and the beautiful man that just flirted with him.

________

The day passed quickly.Alec managed to make a solid plan before the rest of the tribe awoke, and they accepted his strategy and began working with little resistance.Even Sebastian was uncharacteristically helpful, for the first time since they had got to camp.Everyone agreed to tasks they would complete, rotating jobs so that no one wasted all of their energy before their first challenge as a tribe the next day.

Alec took care to avoid working too closely with Magnus for the remainder of the day.Although, that doesn’t mean he resisted shooting glances his way periodically.He couldn’t help stealing quick looks here and there as Magnus was working.

Alec found that he worked well with Aline, as he had hoped he would.Aline was easy to talk and already seemed to be an asset to the tribe.While it was too early in the game to be making finite alliances, Alec believed they would be able to align later in the game with the relationship they had formed already. 

The largest clash they had throughout the day came when deciding the best way to create their sleeping hut.Each person seemed to have a different idea of how to elevate it, which type of trees and bark would be most firm, whether they should use leaves as a roof and save the tarp for another use; every aspect of the structure became a discussion. 

The only altercation between Alec and Sebastian happened while, the latter was looking through the materials Jeff had provided and found an axe.Sebastian, Cathy, and Mike accused Alec of hiding it so he could have it for himself, while Alec strongly denied the accusation.Luke, Aline, and Simon all sided with Alec, claiming he seemed genuinely surprised to see the axe, and must have overlooked it originally. 

Magnus maintained that he did not know anyone well enough to assume a side in the argument.

After a final word from Luke, who had somehow become Alec’s right hand man, Sebastian dropped the subject and they began constructing the foundation of their shelter. 

Ultimately it was Magnus’ idea that was chosen to be executed.Now that the tribe had an axe, they were able to cut four thicker trees that would be the base.This would be a solid foundation, that would also keep them elevated off the ground.The platform was made of thinner branches, secured to one another by vines.They were able to agree that the best use of the tarp would to cover their new sleeping area. 

The day passed quickly, between building, boiling water, and gathering any useful material they could fine, the tribe was too busy to socialize much.At the end of the day, they found themselves sandwiched together within their shelter, using their backpacks as pillows and sharing blankets with strangers. 

Alec made sure he took a spot at the very edge of the platform, so he would only have one person next to him.Luckily, that person was Aline.Alec felt oddly comforted by her closeness; he felt safe knowing that she wasn’t interested in him and he wasn’t interested in her. 

Next to Aline was the young boy Simon.He had been following Aline around most of the day, since she was one of the nicer tribe members.On Simon’s other side was Luke, not caring about who he slept next to as long as he was under the tarp and didn’t have his blanket stolen.Magnus took the spot next to Luke, claiming he would “do his best to keep his hands to himself”.Luke laughed it off, seemingly unfazed by Magnus’ shameless flirting.Cathy, Mike, and Sebastian finished out their tribe’s sleeping order.

Alec was more than happy with Sebastian being as far away from him as possible.

________

The next morning, the _Iloa_ tribe woke and fell into a comfortable routine of preparing for the day.Aline retrieved water while Magnus got the fire started.It hadn’t been particularly cold at night, so they made sure the fire was out before going to bed.Alec and Luke were on firewood patrol, taking the time to plan how they would start hunting.Alec had put his bow to good use, catching a few small creatures that they had eaten the day before, but they would need to start finding more meat.Luke was planning to rig together some fishing poles that they could take down to the shore.

Soon enough, it was time for the tribe to make their way to Jeff and their first challenge as a team.

Alec led his tribe through the jungle, following the map back to where he and Jace won the reward challenge their first day on the island.He was still struggling with the idea of competing against his brother, but he couldn’t let his tribe know that he had these doubts.He would have work twice as hard to maintain his emotions.

Entering the clearing, Alec could see that the area was completely different from when they had last been there two days before.All traces of the original obstacle course were gone, replaced now by a new course.There are two identical mazes, each with a large wooden table at one end and a tall easel at the other.Clearly, this would be a relay, but Alec couldn’t tell what the purpose of the easels was.

Across the clearing, Alec could see Jace emerge from the trees, followed closely by the small redhead, and the rest of his tribe slowly trailing behind them.Alec wasn’t sure what he expected Jace to look like.Different?But he was not prepared for how natural Jace would look in this setting, leading a group of people he didn’t even know two days ago.

Alec wondered if that was how he looked, too.

Both tribes made their way to the center of the field where Jeff was waiting for them.Jace caught Alec’s eye, and shot his signature grin at his brother.Alec couldn’t help but smile, and shake his head.

“Welcome back, Survivors!I trust you found your camps and started preparing for the days ahead.Shelter is one of the most important things you will need to make it through this competition,” Alec was pleased with the work of his tribe to get their camp set up, he was glad most of the members were pulling their weight. 

“Today’s challenge will be similar to the one you completed the first day on the island.This will require both agility and attention to detail.Each tribe will send one person through the maze at a time.After getting through the maze, you come to this table and pull out a card corresponding with that number runner you are,” Jeff quickly demonstrated how the cards were hidden in slots on the table.“Each card has a rune on it, similar to the ones on each tribe’s buff.Runes were part of an ancient Samoan culture, that believed drawing a certain pattern on the skin of their warriors would give them abilities during battle.Memorize your rune, and run back to your tribe’s easel.Once you think you’ve drawn it correctly, I will judge it and determine if the next person can enter the maze,” Jeff finished explaining.

Alec nodded in understanding.The maze didn’t look too challenging, and he had found himself absentmindedly tracing the design - the _rune_ \- on his buff into the dirt at camp.He felt confident.

Jeff had each member of Jace’s tribe pull a number from a big, clay jar.Alec only knew a few of the members of Jace’s tribe, so he used the reactions of his fellow _Iloa_ to determine who was originally partnered with whom. 

Jeff asked each person to call out their number.After each number was called, Alec determined which order each of his teammates would be running the challenge and made a mental list:

 

_Luke and Hodge_

_Alec and Jace_

_Magnus and Raphael_

_Sebastian and Valentine_

_Cathy and Mary_

_Mike and Meredith_

_Simon and Clary_

_Aline and Helen_

 

Alec thought this over, and decided he was happy with it.Starting with Luke and Hodge would be good, since Luke claimed his friend had a bad leg.Luke would easily get a lead on the other tribe that Alec could build off of.And, as much as Alec hated to admit it, he could sense that Magnus would be good at a challenge like this.The three of them should be able to solidify a large enough lead that others will not have as much pressure. 

After taking their positions at the starting line, Jeff held one hand in the air and paused.

“Survivors ready...Go!”

Luke moved through the course much quicker than Hodge, as Alec predicted he would, and was at the table memorizing his rune before his friend could even find his way out.After staring intently at the image for a few seconds, Luke determined he was ready and made the run back to their drawing board.

Picking up the marker, Luke quickly drew his design and signaled Jeff to come check it.

“Luke’s rune is correct! _Iloa_ can send their next runner through the maze”.

As soon as Alec heard Jeff give the okay, he was sprinting toward the maze.He was already through the maze and approaching the table when Hodge finally finished studying his rune and making his way back to the other side.Alec, priding himself took one look at the intricate pattern on his card and returning it it’s slot.Hodge had a head start on him, but Alec still began his drawing at the same time.Alec took care to draw the design exactly how he had seen it on the card, and looked it over quickly before throwing his hands in the air.

“ _Iloa_ is good!” Jeff yelled, followed closely by, “ _Malosi_ , also good!”

Alec barely laid eyes on Magnus before the other man was moving swiftly through the maze.Magnus moved like a nimble cat through the winding bars, not getting tripped up by any of the dead ends that had slowed Alec down.He must have been watching Luke and Alec and memorizing the path for his turn.Before Raphael had even made it out of the maze, Magnus was at the easel, the hands that consistently captivated Alec’s attention working skillfully to recreate the rune.

Alec was snapped out of his thoughts by Jeff yelling again.

“ _Iloa_ is good!Sebastian can enter the maze!”

Raphael only took a few moments longer than Magnus to get his drawing approved, and then Sebastian’s father was running through the maze.For someone as old as Valentine, he navigated the sharp turns quickly and got out of the maze just after his son.Both men spent the same amount of time viewing their runes, and were soon sprinting back toward the drawing boards.

Alec thought then, that he had never seen anything more disturbing than Sebastian and Valentine running straight towards him.

Although _Iloa_ had started with a strong lead, Alec must have misjudged their competition.After both getting their drawings accepted at the same time, the two tribes were tied.

_That moment_ , Alec thought, _is when we fell apart._

Cathy took to the maze after Sebastian, at the same time as her sister Mary on the _Malosi_ tribe.Both women struggled to make it through the maze, but once they had studied their runes and gotten back to the easels, the dynamic of the game shifted.Mary and Cathy both threw their hands in the air for judging at the same time, but Cathy’s drawing was wrong.

Cathy ran back through the maze while _Malosi’s_ next runner, Mike’s daughter, Meredith, was making her way back to draw. 

After that hitch, _Iloa_ wasn’t able to regain their lead.Alec watched with gritted teeth as his tribe fell farther behind, until Jeff finally called the challenge.

“ _Malosi_ Tribe wins!” 

Alec turned to the other tribe and watched as Simon’s friend jumped into Jace’s arms.Their eyes met over Clary’s head, Alec answering Jace’s wide eyes with a sad, but reassuring smile.He could tell his brother was worried, but Alec needed him to know he would be fine. 

Aline gently laid her hand on Alec’s elbow, and the two shared a pointed look: they would talk in private back at the camp to determine a strategy.Alec wasn’t sure if Aline would agree to an alliance with him, but this gesture proved to Alec that she had been the same idea of aligning as he had.Their best chance of making it another day on the island was to stick together.

“ _Malosi_ Tribe, come retrieve your immunity idol, you are all safe for tonight. _Iloa_ , I will be seeing you tonight at the first tribal council.Head on back to camp and collect your things, one of you will be leaving Samoa tonight”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters posted in one day, who am I???
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! It is so fun creating and writing these challenges!!
> 
> Next chapter will show certain alliances forming and the first person to get voted off of Survivor: Parabatai, get ready for the dramaaaaaaa
> 
> leave me kudos & make sure you follow my tumblr for updates http://perpetual-j0urney.tumblr.com/ :) :)
> 
>  
> 
> xx KC


	3. Chapter Three

The walk back to camp was quiet, the tension among the tribe seemed almost tangible.

The path to _Iloa_ was easy to follow now, the tribe was more familiar with the directions and the once overgrown path was not cleared by their traffic.Alec, no longer needing to lead from the map, hung to the back of the group.While Alec didn’t feel like he _really_ needed to be nervous about tribal council, there was still a part of him that assumed the worst.

Alec wasn’t even worried about being voted out for himself, he was still struggling with the thought of leaving his brother.It was hard enough that they were in different tribes, on separate sides of the island, constantly being put against each other, but Alec didn’t think he would be able to leave Jace in Samoa _by himself_.Even if they weren’t on the same tribe, Alec needed Jace to know that he was still _there_. 

Alec wondered what Jace was doing at _Malosi_.Was he nervous about Alec possibly being put up for elimination?Was he glad that it hadn’t been his tribe going to tribal? If it had been _Malosi_ that lost the challenge today, would _Jace_ be the one having his torch put out tonight?Alec shakes the last thought from his head.His brother was a lot things, but he was definitely _not_ the first person to be voted off of _Survivor_.Jace was personable, hardworking, extroverted; he would no doubt charm every member of his tribe into an alliance, while simultaneously keeping them unaware of his other alliances.Jace, Alec decided, would be fine if _Malosi_ was going to tribal council, at least for now. 

But would _Alec_ make it back to camp tonight? 

While there’s no doubt that at least a few members of _Iloa_ weren’t his biggest fans, Alec had to believe that he had made at least a somewhat good impression on enough players to keep his name off the voting slips tonight. 

Aline walked back to camp in the center of the group, keeping distance between herself and Alec.They had not spoken to each other since the silent agreement they shared before Jeff dismissed the tribes.Alec was glad she hasn’t tried to walk back with him.While he had been enjoying her company their few days on the island, Alec knew it wasn’t exactly smart strategizing to form an alliance in front of others.And there were, without a doubt, too many prying ears on the walk back to camp.

Alec was also glad for the time to gather his thoughts.He was past worrying about his brother, and on to thinking about his possible alliance.His plan was to speak with Aline alone first.He needed to find out what she wants from an alliance with him, her ideas for the vote tonight, and if there was anyone else she was planning on aligning with. 

_Will she suggest bringing Magnus into their alliance?_

Alec’s eyes instinctively shifted to the man walking a few paces in front and to the left of him.He walked confidently, despite the loss that hung over their heads.Magnus had his hands in the pockets of his pants, and every few seconds a twitch would run up his arm, making the muscles of his biceps even more prominent.Alec couldn’t remember taking note of Magnus’ whereabouts in the walk-of-shame back to camp, but he seemed to know exactly where to find him.Quickly, before he could get caught eyeing Magnus, Alec averted his gaze back to the ground and continued mentally preparing for the next few hours.

________

The tribe arrived at _Iloa’s_ camp as the sun was sinking lower in the sky.It was late afternoon, so they had a few hours still before they would need to follow a new map to tribal council.Alec had that map in his pocket, along with their original map to the challenge grounds.He wasn’t exactly sure why he had been put in charge of the map again, but he also wasn’t complaining about it.The more he seemed like the one holding the tribe together, the less likely he would be to get voted off. 

This was a dangerous position to be in, and Alec knew it.Being seen as both essential to the tribe and a strong competitor made Alec a front runner for elimination.While he wasn’t too worried about it this early in the game, he knew he would need to be careful in the near future.

The tribe stayed relatively quiet, the members moving tentatively around one another while they ate rice from Magnus’ baskets and shared sips of already boiled water.They decided not to start a fire yet, the camp was still hot from the midday sun, and they didn’t have any meat to cook.

In a word, camp was awkward. 

It seemed as though no one knew how to act.Tribal council was never easy, especially not the first of the competition.Even Sebastian, who _always_ had something to say, appeared to be minding his own business. _Maybe_ , Alec thought, _maybe he already has an alliance, and doesn’t need to draw unnecessary attention._  

Alec observed nervous glances flashing from one person to another, unsure of how to discretely make plans for the council without making everyone privy. 

Decided he couldn’t be _there_ anymore, Alec thought he would make himself useful and go for a quick hunt.He pushed himself off the tree he had been resting against, grabbing his bow, and made his way out of the camp.No one questioned him, Alec had been the one providing most of their food, and they knew better than to bite the hand feeding them.Especially on a tribal council day.

As he made his way through the trees, he began to feel the tension lifting from his shoulders.He always felt better with a bow in hand and some peace and quiet.Even though no one was really talking back at camp, the atmosphere was loud with friction and agitation.Alec couldn’t think straight.

He didn’t stray too far from camp, knowing they would have to pack and leave within a few hours.He wasn’t even really trying to catch anything, mostly just looking for an excuse to be away.

A few minutes later, he heard soft footsteps approaching behind him.He slowly turned, glad Aline was able to get away from the group so they could speak privately.

“Hey, A-,” Alec stopped short, taken aback by the person standing in front of him.Because it was _not Aline._ Alec reminded himself to breathe.“Magnus.What are you doing out here?”

“Hello, Alec.I was actually looking,” Magnus paused, waving a poised hand in Alec direction, “for you”.

Alec was confused.He’s certain if he wasn’t so practiced at guarding his facial expressions, Magnus would have been able to see the panic hidden just under the surface. _Why would Magnus want to see him?_ He quickly recovered, before Magnus was able to tell the thoughts rushing through his head.

“What can I do for you?”Alec silently thanked every deity that his voice came out strong and firm.

Magnus walked in a slow, lazy arc around him, hands still in the pockets of those _damn khaki’s_ that Alec was growing quite fond of.Alec couldn’t stand the relaxed, noncommittal way Magnus moved, it had Alec on edge. 

“I’ll make this quick, darling, since I’m sure you were waiting out here for Aline,”Magnus must have seen something flash across Alec’s face.“What, did you really think it was a secret that you and that little peach would be forming an alliance?”

Alec carefully formed a response to this, not wanting to give too much away to Magnus just yet.

“I haven’t made any alliances yet.Aline has worked hard these last few days, and I like working with people who pull their weight, but there’s been no talk of aligning yet,”Technically, Alec reminded himself, this was the truth.While he had hoped Aline would want an alliance with him, she hasn’t tried to speak with him again and they were running out of time.

“Well,” Magnus began, “that may be so, but it’s seems obvious to us on the outside that you too will be the power couple of this tribe,” Magnus chuckled to himself.“Figuratively, that is, since she seems quite content with that girlfriend of hers.I wouldn’t get any ideas of a tribe romance with that one”. 

Alec tried to play it cool, _did Magnus not realize he’s gay?_ Alec was sure everyone knew.He hadn’t explicitly told his tribe, but he had thought it was obvious.Alec had forgotten that he was in Samoa with a bunch of _strangers_ , not in his gym with all the people who knew basic facts about him, like his sexuality. _Maybe he did know, and he was just making a joke?_

“I wasn’t planning on hooking up with her, she’s not exactly my _type_ ,” Alec was still choosing his words carefully, still deciding how much he cared to share with Magnus.

“Well, let me get to the point,” Magnus changed the subject, pushed away from the tree he had been leaning on and taking a few short steps forward, his eyes never leaving Alec’s.“If you _are_ thinking about an alliance with Aline, I want in”.

Alec was momentarily stunned by how blunt Magnus’ request was.By nature, Alec was a very straightforward person, but not many people he usually associated with shared this quality with him. 

He took a moment to look over the man standing in front of him.Magnus was standing with one arm crossed over his chest, the other raised in the air with his pointer finger and thumb rubbing against each other.The light blue polish he had noticed the other day was now starting to crack, which seemed like it would be a first for Magnus.While Alec wore his dark green buff around his right upper arm, Magnus’ was wrapped around his head, making his fringe stick straight up.

Alec let his eyes land on Magnus’ once again, making sure not to let his stare waver. 

“Why?”

“Darling, I’m not stupid,” Magnus chuckled, shaking his head.“You don’t need to be a fortune teller to read the dynamic of this tribe, although I suppose it does help that palm reading is a hobby of mine.Let me lay it out for you,” he paused, making sure Alec was still following him, “you and Aline have a strong leadership going, that _hunk_ , Luke, has been sticking up for you since day one, and the little puppy, Simon, is going to vote for whoever you or Luke votes for.At best, that dick, Sebastian, has Mike and Cathy on his side.So, you do the math, who’s side looks better to you?”

Alec thought about all of this for a second.Truthfully, he hadn’t considered how the odds were looking, focusing rather on aligning with Aline and figuring the rest out after.He knew the two of them wouldn’t be able take on the rest of the tribe by themselves, he just hadn’t really thought about how many others would want to be in an alliance with _him_. 

He wasn’t going to let Magnus know that he hadn’t planned this far ahead.

“This is all just your speculation, what if Luke and Simon are already aligning with Sebastian?”Alec knew this was definitely not the case, Luke had expressed his feelings toward the ‘Tribe Asshole’ many times already, but he was still working on what to say to Magnus’ request.

“Alec, you and I both know that alliance is _not_ going to happen,” Magnus replied, giving Alec a knowing look.“I’m sure Aline is waiting for me to leave you, and Luke will not be much farther behind her.Face it, everyone wants an alliance with our handsome, brooding leader”.

Alec was left shocked, once again, by Magnus’ offhanded compliments.How was Alec supposed to be in an alliance with him if he couldn’t even have one conversation without getting nervous and acting like a fool?

“I-I don’t _brood_ ,” Alec internally smacked himself, both for what he said, and for stuttering while saying it. 

Magnus just rolled his eyes, still moving around Alec in distractingly graceful circles. 

“My dear, you are _constantly_ brooding,” Magnus hesitated, seemingly unsure for the first time, “So, what do you say?”

________

“Hey, Aline,” Alec said, climbing up into his spot on the sleeping platform.He had waiting a few minutes after finishing his conversation with Magnus to find Aline.She was reclined in her spot in their enclosure, busying herself with basket weaving while they waited for tribal council.

“Hey, stranger, I’ve been waiting to talk to you,” Aline continued her weaving, giving the illusion of being disinterested in the conversation for the benefit of their on-lookers.While no one else was in their makeshift bed, they were lingering close enough to see Alec and Aline together.

“Let’s talk about tonight,” Alec began, dropping his voice lower and rolling onto his side, blocking the rest of the camp from seeing his moving lips.“What do you think about an alliance?”

“Alec, I thought that was pretty obvious,” Aline gave a quiet laugh.“We work well together, and we get along, why wouldn’t I want to be your ally?”

Alec took a deep breathe, allowing the relief that he and Aline had been thinking the same things about one another.

“I know, I-I kind of assumed you would say that.Have you thought about an alliance with anyone else?” Alec asked, tentatively.

“Well, while I’ve been here working on this, the Asshole has been schmoozing up to Cathy and Mike.Not that either of us wanted an alliance with any of them, anyway”.Alec laughed, she had a point.

“What are your feelings on the rest of the tribe?”

Aline thought for a moment.“I like Simon, he’s like a little puppy and he seems like he’ll be good in the more brain-oriented challenges,” Alec gave a soft agreement.“And Luke would definitely be strong in physical challenges, they offset each other.I’m still undecided on Magnus”.

Alec was surprised, once again, by just how in sync he and Aline were.It seemed that Magnus would be the deciding factor on their alliance.

“Okay, so here’s what happened,” Alec tried to gather up all the thoughts in his head and un-jumble them.“I went out in the woods before, when we got back from the challenge, and Magnus found me,” Aline raised an eyebrow, but didn’t take her eyes off her project.“Yeah, that’s what I thought too.So, he found me.He started saying how we’re the power couple of the tribe, and how Luke and Simon will follow our vote, and how the five of us would be a serious alliance.I told him I would consider, but I had to talk to you about it first,” Alec silently replayed his meeting with Magnus once more, making sure he hadn’t left anything out.“S-so yeah, that’s it.What do you think?”

Aline, finally finishing her basket and setting it on the floor, turned to look Alec in the eyes.She must have seen some uncertainty in Alec’s eyes, because a sly smile slowly crept onto her face

“I think we’ve got ourselves a pretty strong alliance”.

________

Alec and Magnus had agreed it would be best if they weren’t seen speaking around camp again.While Sebastian wasn’t an idiot, it would be easier to just let him think Alec was only aligning with Aline, rather than the other three boys as well.

After Aline gave Alec the okay to set up the alliance, he found Magnus on the other side of camp, straightening their supply pile.When they made eye contact, Alec gave him the slightest nod, meaning their plan was a go. 

Magnus answered Alec’s nod with a wink. _That_ , Alec thought _, was_ not _part of their plan._

Alec had dismissed the look Magnus had given him, deciding instead to finish planning with Aline.Magnus’ job, now that Alec had Aline on board with the alliance, was to speak with Luke and Simon.Their plan was focused on making Sebastian believe they were two separate alliances, rather than one. 

Alec watched as Magnus finished the task of organizing their supplies, and calmly approached Luke and Simon.They had just gone to gather more firewood, so Magnus made it appear that he was helping them arrange the new wood into piles.Alec knew this was for show, Magnus typically wouldn’t help if there were already two people doing something.

Magnus’ spoke in a low voice to Luke, Alec could barely make out the movement of his lips.Still, Alec watched their conversation intently from his perch in the bunks.Deep down, Alec knew he didn’t need to watch Magnus following through with his part of the plan, but he couldn’t look away.He was completely entranced by the way Magnus appeared nonchalant and apathetic. 

Alec was brought out of his thoughts when Magnus turned his head enough to make eye contact.Alec felt his throat close up and a blush run up his face from being caught staring.Magnus sent him another wink, accompanied this time by a subtle nod.The action was so fluid, none of the other tribe members would have been able to catch it.Alec knew exactly what Magnus meant by the message.

Their alliance was complete.

________ 

“ _Iloa_ , welcome to your first tribal council,” Jeff greeted.Alec had led the tribe to the council grounds, the sun hadn’t fallen low enough in the sky yet to make following the map hard.They would have a more difficult time returning to camp later that night, but Alec wasn’t worried about that now.

Alec knew what to expect of the tribal council setting from being an avid _Survivor_ fan, but nothing could prepare him for the way he felt walking in tonight.In front of him was an immense fire pit.Alec wished they could bring this bonfire back to camp, it would definitely keep them warm in the cooler nights to come.Jeff stood next to a thick wooden podium to the left of the pit, there were all kinds of tribal statues and decorations placed around the area. 

Jeff ushered Alec and the others to take a seat on the two large tree trunks laying on the ground, one slightly taller than the other.Alec took his seat in the back, on the far side of one log.He had gotten used to be taller than everyone around him, and naturally tried to not sit in front of others.Simon slid into the spot next to him, Alec resisted rolling his eyes.Aline took the seat in front of Alec, and the rest of the tribe followed.Alec located Magnus on the opposite side of the trunk he was sitting on.

“It is never easy getting sent to tribal council, especially not after the first challenge.Luke, you started off the relay this morning, and gave the tribe a considerable lead to work off of.Can you tell me what was going through your head watching the rest of the tribe run the maze?”

Alec had been holding his breathe, he was not looking forward to Jeff asking him a question.Luckily, Luke was a much better speaker than Alec, his natural charisma eased some of Alec’s tension.

“I was glad to run first.I love Hodge, but his knee goes out on him sometimes and I knew I’d be able to get through the maze faster,” Luke began from his seat next to Magnus.“Alec and Magnus both helped build on that lead, but _Malosi_ just caught up to us”.

“Alec, from winning the reward challenge on day one with your parabatai, Jace, you’ve shown you are a strong force in this competition.What position do you think that puts you in moving forward?”

Alec worked to quickly form a response, and make sure his answer came out with as few stutters as possible.The firmly clasped hands in his lap began sweating, and Alec’s throat was so dry, he was sure no sounds would come out when he tried to speak.

“I guess it depends, right now I think it’s working in my favor,” _Okay,_ Alec thought, _this isn’t so bad_ , “The most important thing to me so far has been making camp ready for the rain and cold nights that are coming, and I’ve been using my bow to catch food.I-I guess right now I’m an asset for the tribe, but that can change at any minute,” Alec finished, not wanting to be the center of attention anymore.Jeff obviously had different plans.

“We know from your application and interview that you and your brother have been watching the show since you were kids, do you think that has helped you both succeed so far?”

Alec signed, as his brain went into overdrive trying to form another response.

“Well, well y-yeah, I think it has helped us.We never thought we would actually get chosen, but having watched every season since we were young has definitely prepared us,” Alec found it much easier to talk about his brother than himself, and was starting to get comfortable speaking.“Jace and I, and our younger sister, we own a gym together back home.We do a lot of personal training and camps with _Survivor_ themed workout challenges, so yeah, it was like we were practicing for being here”.

Jeff, deciding he was content with Alec’s answers, moved on to question Cathy about being one of the oldest in the tribe.Alec must have spaced out for a few minutes, probably right about when Cathy brought up her kids.Sebastian was beginning to answer a question Alec hadn’t heard when he became aware of the conversation again.

“Well, Jeff, if I’m being honest, I think we started losing our lead in the challenge when Magnus ran the maze,” _What the hell is he talking about?_ “Not to point fingers, but I could have had a bigger gap between my father and me if someone wasn’t flirting with their _boyfriend_ ”.

What was Sebastian talking about?If fingers were going to be pointed at anybody, it should be at Cathy.Of course, Alec wasn’t going to say this, it would make him just as bad as Sebastian. _Who had Magnus been flirting with?How did Alec miss that during the challenge?_

Alec looked over at Magnus, who was absolutely _seething._ Sebastian was sitting in the middle of the front log, just halfway between Magnus and Alec.Alec could tell Magnus was getting ready to fire a retort at Sebastian, but Alec, surprising himself, beat Magnus to it.

“Hey, everyone here knows it is _not_ Magnus’ fault we didn’t win the challenge.It’s not his fault you couldn’t outrun your own _father._ Tell me, Sebastian, how did you get in the maze before your dad and still not get your rune drawn before him?If anyone lost our lead it wa-,” Alec was cut off before he could finish his verbal assault on Sebastian.

“Okay, okay, let’s reign this back in,” Jeff said, focusing back on the matter at hand.“There’s been a lot said tonight, let’s get to voting.Aline, you’re up first”.

Waiting as the rest of his tribe went up to vote gave Alec a few minutes to think about what just happened.He definitely should not have let himself get out of control like that, he was _trying_ not to burn too many bridges.If he wasn’t a member of the majority alliance, Alec was sure his outburst would be sending him home.Even if Sebastian decided to retaliate tonight, he didn’t have enough people backing him to make a difference in the votes. 

Alec was the last to vote.He could feel Magnus’ eyes on him as he made his way past the tribe, and around the fire pit to the voting booth.Stepping inside, there was a small desk with one slip of paper left and a black marker.Alec looked at the hole in the desk, leading to the pile of votes cast by his tribe already.He wasn’t concerned with the votes, he knew he was safe tonight, and he felt confident in his alliance. 

He hadn’t allowed himself to think about the possibility of being blindsided this early in the game.He had to force himself to see the best in the people he had chosen to make his allies, and _hope_ it wouldn’t come back to bite him tonight.

Alec carefully scribbled a name on the slip of parchment, and held it up to the camera mounted on the wall in front of him.Not knowing what to say about his vote, he simply raised an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders as he folded the paper in half and dropped it down the hole.

Alec exited the booth and made his way back to his seat.This time, he let his eyes meet Magnus’.In his eyes, Alec saw a field of emotion reflected by the fire.Some Alec could read, but others had him stumped.Alec sat on the edge of the log, and let his knee gently rest on Aline’s back, reassuring her that they had made the right choice.

“I’ll go grab the votes,” Jeff said, walking to the voting booth and returning to his podium with a small wooden pot.“Once I have read the votes, the person with the most will bring me their torch, and leave the island,” he paused, looking everyone over before removing the jar’s lid.“First vote, Cathy.Second vote, Cathy.Third vote, Cathy”.

Alec relaxed, it seemed so far that his alliance was holding up.He was glad he wouldn’t need to deal with a blindside just yet.And, no matter what Sebastian’s alliance put on their slips, they would never have enough votes to get Alec off the island.

“Fourth vote, Simon,” Alec gaped as he felt the young boy seated beside him go rigid. _They were voting Simon?_ “Fifth vote, Cathy.Four votes Cathy, one vote Simon, three votes left”.

Aline turned her head, just slightly, to give Simon a reassuring smile.Even though they knew Simon wouldn’t have enough votes to be eliminated, it still wasn’t a good feeling hearing your name called.

“Sixth vote, Simon.Seventh vote, Simon.Four votes Cathy, three votes Simon, one vote left,” Jeff paused again, as he retrieved the final vote from the container. 

Alec’s eyes shifted down the row to Magnus, who was turning to look at him at the same time.Something about the look in Magnus’ eyes put Alec at ease, he hadn’t even realized he was so nervous about Simon’s name being on the ballots.Alec turned his attention back to Jeff as he was about to read the final vote.

“First person voted out of _Survivor_ : Parabatai...Cathy.Grab your things and bring me your torch, you will not be returning to _Iloa_ tonight,” Alec released a breathe he hadn’t realized he was holding. 

Truthfully, Alec wasn’t overly fond of Simon.He was talkative, and didn’t have the best survival instincts, but he was an alright kid.Alec reached over and patted the knee Simon had been nervously shaking since the votes started being read, and Simon turned to beam at him.Alec regretted making the effort almost instantly.

Cathy gathered her bag and they all said a quiet ‘ _bye, Cathy_ ’ as she walked down the path to Jeff and had her torch extinguished.Alec’s alliance didn’t _want_ to vote Cathy out, but it was the most reasonable option.She _had_ cost them the challenge, and she wasn’t the most essential person to have around camp.While they all would have liked to see Sebastian get _the hell out of their tribe_ , it was Luke who made them see that he would be more useful in physical challenges and pull more weight around camp.They had all agreed with little convincing to put up with him a little longer. 

“This has undoubtably been an interesting first tribal council,” Jeff said after Cathy was safely with the crew on her way to a hotel somewhere, where she would await being called back to the jury.“I know there was no easy vote tonight.It seems alliances are already forming, we’ll see how those play out over the coming weeks.Head back to camp and get some rest, you will need all your strength for the next challenge, goodnight”. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's taken forever, but finally finished chapter 3!! i'm currently taking 3 summer courses so updates might be coming later than i'd like, sorry loves!!
> 
> Thank you to everyone that's been leaving me nice comments and kudos, keep em coming!! :) 
> 
> & come say hi on tumblr @perpetual-j0urney :) :)
> 
> xx KC


	4. Chapter Four

Alec woke up the morning following _Iloa’s_ first tribal council feeling uncharacteristically relaxed.   With Cathy gone, the remaining seven tribe members had a bit more space on their handmade platform bed, and Alec was glad for the extra room.  He was a tall man, and with Luke, Magnus, and Sebastian all being just a few inches shorter than him, they were all beginning to feel cramped.  Even with the new space, Alec still found himself right on the edge of the pallet. 

Without making too much noise, Alec sat up and let his legs hang off the side of the platform and put his shoes on.He looked over his shoulder at the members of his tribe, noting that he was the first awake.Aline had grumbled and rolled over at his movement, but remained fast asleep.The sun was just barely rising, Alec hadn’t thought anyone else would be awake yet, especially since there was no challenge today. 

Slipping off the side of the enclosure, Alec let himself softly fall to the hard ground a few feet below.He was usually the only one awake this early, and had gotten into the habit of making sure the tribe had everything prepared for their day. 

Alec first checked that their supply of food hadn’t been found and tampered with by any of Samoa’s wonderful - _and not at all terrifying_ \- wildlife.Magnus and Aline had worked hard to ensure the baskets they had been making were secure, and safely stored away where animals wouldn’t be able to reach unnoticed by the tribe.Alec opened a few of the baskets, taking stock of how much rice and other dry foods they had remaining, and was glad to see there was still a good amount left, though they would definitely need more soon.Thankfully, he was almost certain there would be a reward challenge the following week.

There was still water left that had already been boiled and purified the day before, and the firewood pile was still in pretty decent shape.He would ask Simon to gather more later in the day, he was always looking for something to do.Alec took a moment to survey the camp, proud of what his tribe had achieved in the short amount of time they had been on the island.

Deciding that everything was as it should be, Alec went back to the structure and grabbed his backpack.He hadn’t brought much to the island with him, knowing that he would only have access to the essentials anyway.

He slung the pack over his shoulder and grabbed his bow and quiver, throwing them both over the other.The camp wouldn’t be stirring for a while still, and Alec was in desperate need of some alone time.He hastily left the encampment, not wanting his moment of selfishness to be ruined by someone waking up, and headed for the beach. 

Alec rarely did anything for himself.This habit - or personality trait, rather - stemmed from being the oldest, with three younger siblings that needed watching over.Even though Jace and Izzy were not much younger, he was still responsible for them throughout most of their childhoods while their parents were busy with work. 

As he walked along the path to the ocean, Alec remembered the first time he was left in charge of his siblings.He was just thirteen years old - Jace was twelve, and Izzy eleven - and Maryse was still pregnant with Max.Their parents had gone to a work dinner event, and Alec was to ‘babysit’ the younger two.He had left Izzy alone for a few minutes to play a video game with Jace, and the next thing he knew his younger sister was screaming from another room.Alec ran into the kitchen to see the stove on fire and Isabelle on the floor crying.She had tried to make them some popcorn, even though she was not allowed near the stove, and burned her hand on the open flame. 

Alec had quickly put the fire out and made sure his sister was alright, but he never let himself take a moment for himself again.The incident reminded him that there was nothing more important for him than protecting his family, and he never put himself first again.

Alec shook the memory, feeling guilty for leaving his sister alone now, even though she is twenty-two years old and had Lydia if anything went wrong while Alec and Jace were away.Still, she would always be his little sister, and he would always worry.

Dropping his pack and hunting equipment as he approached the shore, Alec quickly discarded the tank top he had been wearing for the last few days.He kicked his shoes off, and slipped out of his cargo shorts, leaving on only his boxers and the buff around his bicep.He left the clothes in a pile near his bag and quickly walked the remaining distance to the water. 

Alec waded out until the water was waste deep, keeping his back to the shore as he began scrubbing the dirt off his body.While Alec had no reason to be self-conscious, he was always a bit reserved with who he shared his body with.Naturally, the cameras that Alec knew were catching this moment to later broadcast on national television was unsettling for him.Still, he pushed the thoughts from his mind and tried to relax into the waves. 

The water was perfect, warm yet refreshing, and exactly what Alec needed in that moment.He submerged himself for a few seconds and scraped at his scalp, feeling the mud loosen from his hair and float away.Alec wondered how he could possibly be so caked in dirt after just four days, and cringed thinking how he would look after thirty-five more.

_If I make it that far,_ he thought to himself. 

Alec was pulled from his thoughts by someone clearing their throat from the beach.He turned slowly, not ready for his private time to be intruded on.

Aline stood on the shore, looking at Alec with a gentle smile on her lips.

“Mind if I join?I’m absolutely filthy,” Aline called out to him.Alec returned the smile and nodded his head.If anyone _had_ to interrupt him, he was glad it was Aline.

Aline dropped her bag next to Alec’s and pulled her shorts off, leaving her standing in just her panties and her buff around her chest.Alec turned his eyes back to the horizon and continued to work at the layers of dirt covering his arms.

After a few moments, Aline joined him out in the water.She kept her distance, and began quietly rinsing and scrubbing her hair.They stayed like this for a while, both enjoying the company but not feeling the need to offer idle chatter.

The sun was strong in the sky now, Alec guessed it was around nine in the morning.This was still pretty early, so he didn’t expect anyone else to be joining them.Alec surprised himself by starting the conversation. 

“What are you doing up this early?We don’t have anything to do today,” he was sure the tribe would be content to lounge in their bunk all morning.Aline just chucked at his inquiry.

“I’m not really one for sleeping in, so staying in this late was weird for me,” She held up a finger to Alec, and made a show of holding her breathe as she ducked under the current again.Alec watched her dark brown hair fan out in the water around her, and laughed as it turned from a clear blue to brown with the addition of the dirt Aline had washed from her scalp.

When she resurfaced, Alec was still laughing and Aline shot him a questioning glance. 

“Sorry,” he started, once his giggles had died down, “we’re just _so dirty_!”

Aline looked at the cloudy water surrounding the two of them and started laughing as well, sending Alec back into another fit. 

Alec looked over at Aline.They had both recovered from their outburst, and were back to cleaning themselves in peaceful silence.Alec appreciated the fact that he still felt relaxed and comfortable, even though he was sharing his private time.

“So,” Aline broke the silence, “lets talk about last night”.

Truthfully, Alec hadn’t given the previous night’s tribal council much thought after they had made it back to camp.Of course, the walk was filled with bickering between Sebastian, Magnus, and Luke.Simon was too taken aback by the votes to speak up, but Luke had no problem stepping up on his behalf.Magnus was still salty about the comments made by Sebastian, and would grumble every few minutes about _‘that douche’_.

After Alec’s not-so-subtle defense of Magnus, he had kept to himself the rest of the night.

“What about it?” Alec asked, trying to sound disinterested. 

“Well,” Aline began, “weren’t you surprised to see Simon’s name on _their_ votes?”

Alec considered this for a moment.Had he been surprised? Yes.But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense to him.Simon didn’t seem to be the most physically fit person, which is an asset in this game, but he was definitely smart and would be useful during mental challenges.Honestly, Alec couldn’t see anyone on his alliance that would be an easier target for Sebastian’s alliance.

Alec told as much to Aline, elaborating on the final thought.

“They voted Simon to get inside his head,” he whispered hastily.Alec wasn’t sure why he was whispering, since no one else had ventured to the beach yet, but it felt necessary.“They knew that the rest of us would brush it off, but Simon is young and _jittery_ , he’s an easy target.They knew they wouldn’t have enough votes to make a difference, they just wanted to make him feel insecure”.

Aline hummed an agreement, nodding her head thoughtfully.

“One of us should talk to him later, make sure it’s not getting to him,” She said, before meeting Alec’s eyes and adding, “I think you should do it, he kinda looks up to you”.

Alec scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“He does _not_ look up to me, you just don’t want to do it!” Alec accused.

“Okay, fine, I don’t want to do it,” Aline admitted turning to face Alec.“But only because he already follows me around like a puppy - which is fine, this just seems more like a man-to-man talk,” she let the sentence drift off at toward the end, sending Alec a hopeful look.

Alec considered this for a moment.

“He tried cuddling with you again last night, didn’t he?”

“Yes!” Aline replied, throwing her arms in the air and sending water splashing at Alec.“Alec, he _knows_ my girlfriend is literally camped a few miles away!” 

“Hey, maybe he’s just a cuddler,” Alec replied sheepishly.“In fact, when I got up this morning, he was curled up in a ball under Luke’s elbow, so...” 

It was Aline’s turn to scoff.When she saw the amused look on Alec’s face, she made a dramatic show of splashing him in the face.Alec just smirked at her, shrugging his shoulders.

It had never been particularly easy for Alec to make friends.The only person outside of his siblings he really considered a friend was Lydia, one of his most trusted employees at the gym.Jace and Izzy were both friends with the other trainers, but Alec never really saw them as his friends, just people he worked with.Or, rather, people that worked for him. 

Either way, Alec felt like he was becoming friends with Aline.He was glad to have a friend in the tribe, but friends were also dangerous in this game.Alec had to remind himself that anyone could stab him in the back and send him home.

“Why don’t you just switch spots with me?Since you haven’t tried to snuggle up with me yet, and I doubt Simon would make the same move on you,” Aline’s whining snapped Alec out of his thoughts.

“Nice try, but we’re not trading places.I like the outside,” Alec said, matter of factly.He considered what to say next, deciding to test the waters, so to speak, and let Aline in a bit more.“But I will say that you don’t have to worry about me _ever_ trying to cuddle with you.Unless it’s really cold, that is.You know, body heat”. 

Aline shot a sideways glance at Alec. 

“What, I’m not cuddle-worthy enough for you Alec-” Aline shot her companion a confused look, “What is your last name?”

Alec laughed, formally introducing himself to his ally had completely slipped his mind. 

“It’s Lightwood, Alec Lightwood,” he replied, extending his hand to the young woman next to him.“And I prefer my cuddle partners be of the _tall, dark, and handsome_ variety”. 

Aline smiled slyly and nodded, satisfied with this new information.

“Aline Penhallow,” she replied, taking Alec’s hand and shaking it slowly, “message received”. 

They went back to quietly relaxing in the waves.Alec was content to spend the day like this, but the responsibilities he placed on himself were slowly creeping back into his memory.He had planned on spending the day hunting, so the tribe would have something to eat before the following day’s challenge.

Also, he needed an excuse to break away from the others.There was an immunity idol hidden somewhere around here, and he was going to find it.

________

Alec finally managed to drag himself from the surf about ten minutes later, after thanking Aline for the company and promising to get to know each other more later in the day.He let himself dry off in the sun for a few minutes before putting a tank top and shorts back on, and heading into the woods. 

His unruly black hair was still dripping as he made his way through the trees, moving farther from the camp. 

With his bow at the ready, Alec moved into a crouch and quietly scanned the area, making sure not to snap any twigs or make any sudden movements.He wasn’t looking for anything in particular, really just anything they could cook. 

Although Alec had never used his archery skills for survival in the past, he quickly taught himself how to track and shoot small animals without losing any of the valuable meat. 

Jace had always said that Alec was the best at adapting.That particular skill was going to be put to the test during this competition.

Alec wasn’t exactly sure what time it was when he finally made his way back to _Iloa_.The sun was almost directly above them now, so he figured it was about midday.Looking around camp, Alec could see that Aline had returned from the beach and was sitting with Magnus, busying themselves with rearranging supplies.Mike was still laying on the platform, complaining about a sore back.Luke and Simon were mingling a few feet from Magnus and Aline, and they both waved at Alec when he entered the clearing.

Sebastian was the only person missing from camp.Alec wondered if he was out searching for the same immunity idol he had been looking for, but couldn’t find during his morning hunt.

Deciding it was best not to worry himself with Sebastian’s whereabouts, Alec settled for dropping his day’s catch near the fire pit and having a seat next to Luke on a short log.He hadn’t brought back as much as he would have liked to, but it would have to do for the day.

Luke took in his disappointed look and nudged him with his shoulder.

“I’ve been thinking about your bow and quiver a lot,” Luke said once Alec met his gaze.

Alec couldn’t help the innuendo that popped into his head, and gave Luke a sly smirk.

“My, my, Luke, that’s very _forward_ of you.Shouldn’t you at least take me out to dinner before thinking about _that_?” 

Luke threw his head back and laughed harder than Alec had ever seen in their few days together.His laugh was hearty and unguarded.The sudden outburst made Aline, Magnus, and Simon look up and give them questioning looks, but neither Alec nor Luke could control themselves enough to explain.

When the two men finally regained their composure, Luke elaborated on his original statement.

“What I _meant_ was, I’ve been thinking about another way for you to hunt with your bow,” Luke said, gesturing for Alec to hand over his quiver of arrows.Alec obliged, removing it from his back and passing it to the older man.“I found some vines in the woods, kind of like the ones we used for the platform, but thinner.If we attach a vine to one of your arrows, you could probably catch fish”.

Alec and Luke sat side by side, each rolling an arrow around their fingers while considering the possibilities this would open up for the tribe.

“I like it, that’s a good idea,” Alec finally replied.“Can you show me where these vines are later? We could probably be eating fish by tonight, instead of these birds”.

He and Luke both made a disgusted face.Samoa’s wildlife was definitely not the on the appetite. 

Alec called over to the others, and Luke shared his idea with them as well.With the tribe in agreement, Luke volunteered to go retrieve the vines while Alec rested after his morning’s work. 

As far as tribes go, Alec believed he got pretty lucky with his.For the most part, the members of _Iloa_ each pulled their weight, and Alec was more than pleased to get along with almost all his teammates.Alec hoped Jace was having the same luck across the island at _Malosi_.

________

“Well, tribal council last night was,” Alec took a seat across from the pre-set camera and tried to form a coherent thought, “ _interesting_ , I guess?”

Alec’s least favorite thing about being on _Survivor_ was, without a doubt, filming the video diaries.He could deal with sleeping with a bunch of strangers, he could take on whatever challenges Jeff threw at him, but he could _not_ get the hang of talking into a camera about his day.

Realistically, he understood why he had to do it.The audience wants to know what is going through their heads while everything is happening.If Alec is being honest, he loved listening to the players gossip in their video diaries while he was watching the show as a kid.The process of going out into an area of the woods by himself and telling a camera what’s on his mind just didn’t feel right to Alec.

But since one of the producers had approached Alec, specifically saying he didn’t make enough video logs, he figured it was best to just get it over with.

“I guess I’m glad my alliance worked out.If we just focus on working together in tomorrow’s challenge, I don’t think we’ll have to worry about another tribal just yet,” he finished.

The producers had reminded him to make comments about everything, which they would cut and put into the final cut of the episode at appropriate times, so Alec decided to just start talking about anything and everything that came to mind.

“Luke had this brilliant idea today about fishing with my bow.It’ll probably work, but, you know, an actual fishing pole would also be good”.

“Eating rice and plants and weird animal meat everyday is bad, but I have to say it’s better than my little sister’s cooking,” he shot an apologetic look to the camera, “Sorry, Izzy.I bet Jace is saying the same thing right now, too”.

“I don’t know what’s up with this Sebastian guy.Like, come on, buddy, you’re vastly outnumbered.Maybe don’t be such an ass and you won’t get voted off next tribal?”

“Getting separated from my brother sucks, but it’s probably good for me to branch out.I really only spend time with him and our sister, it’s probably good I’m being forced to socialize”.

“I’m really glad that cows aren’t native to Samoa.I _definitely_ could not shoot a cow with my bow.Cow’s are too good for this world.They deserve good things, like showers, and stuff”.

“It’s been kind of awkward with Magnus after tribal last night,” Alec is surprised this thought slipped out, but he heard himself saying it and he couldn’t take it back now.“I mean, I haven’t been around camp much today, but he gave me a really weird look earlier and he’s been avoiding me since we left tribal,” _Why has he been ignoring me?_ “I don’t think I did anything wrong?I guess we’ll see what happens”.

Alec figured that was enough for today, and stood from his seat in front of the camera.It was late afternoon now, and he was curious to see how Luke managed with turning some of his arrows into fishing lines.

Walking back to camp from the private video area, Alec couldn’t stop thinking about what he could have possibly done within the last day to piss off Magnus.He thought he was friendly and mostly normal in all of their interactions, so why was he avoiding him now?

________

Back at camp, Luke had finished his project and was waiting to see if Alec could catch anything with his new tool. 

Alec noted that Sebastian was back at camp now, eating a small bowl of rice with Mike.They both glanced at Alec when he walked in, and went back to their conversation.Now, it was Magnus and Aline that were missing from the group.Alec isn’t sure when he started looking for Magnus every time he returned to camp, but he didn’t have time to question himself on the subject now.

Now, it was time to fish.

Alec, Luke, and Simon hurried back out of camp and to the shore.Simon is talking animatedly about how excited he was to eat ‘real meat’ again.Another inappropriate joke entered Alec’s mind, but he chose not to voice it this time.He’s not sure when he got so comfortable making jokes, especially _that_ kind of joke, around guys he’s just met, but he decided to just go with it and blame it on this new independence from his siblings.

The three men waded into the water, stopping once it was about halfway up their calves.Alec loaded one of the new arrows into his bow and took aim, waiting for a fish to come his way.

After a few seconds, the water stilled and Alec could see a few medium-sized fish just a few feet away.He told the others to stay still, which was a hard task for Simon, and waited for them to swim a few inches closer. 

Alec didn’t know a lot about fishing, but he recognized the school approaching to be mostly albacores.With the arrow still ready, Alec located the largest of the fish and followed it’s movements.

In one fluid motion, Alec released the string and quickly caught the vine trailing behind it.The head of the arrow stuck into Alec’s target, and began thrashing around.The rest of the fish scattered as Alec pulled the vine until the fish was close enough for Luke to grab. 

The boys cheered as Luke pulled the arrowhead out of the fish’s side, and Alec reset the arrow in his bow.Simon was too excited to stay still, so Luke sent him back to camp for a basket to keep their catch in.Both Luke and Simon made their way to the shore, leaving Alec to wait for the water to still and more fish to emerge. 

Alec managed to catch four more fish, all about the same size.When the three returned to camp later in the day and showed off their dinner, Aline sprung from her place on the bed pallet and jumped into Alec’s arms.

“Oh, Alec Lightwood, our hero!We get to eat tonight!I didn’t think we’d ever eat real food again, I could kiss you!”Aline was practically screaming as she gripped Alec tightly around the neck.Alec was considerably taller than the young woman, her feet lifting off the ground once Alec stood upright again.

“How about you spare us both _that_ traumatic experience and we just start cooking the fish instead?”Alec joked back with her.He liked being open with Aline, and it’s not like his sexuality was a secret, he had just never been a particularly ‘sharey’ person, so this type of friendship with someone was new for him.

Alec placed Aline’s feet back on the ground, and she quickly ran off to prepare the campfire, Simon right on her heels.Alec rolled his eyes.

As he turned back to the sleeping area to set down his bow and backpack, he came face to face with Magnus.Alec’s breath caught in his chest, unsure of what to make of the spark beneath Magnus’ seemingly disinterested eyes.Alec could tell he was trying to cover something up.

_Anger?Intrigue?Maybe a mix of both._

“Nice catch, _Alec Lightwood_ ,”The man sarcastically quoted Aline’s use of his full name.Alec could definitely hear a touch of contempt in his tone.

Alec could feel his head cock to the side and his eyebrows knitting together.Izzy and Jace called this the ‘Old Man Alec’ face, that he made whenever he was deeply confused by something.Usually, this face was reserved for pop culture references he didn’t understand.

Alec couldn’t stand being uncertain.Swallowing his nerves and keeping his voice low, he met Magnus’ intense gaze.

“Did I do something to piss you off?Do you not like fish?No offense, but there’s not a lot of options around here, I can’t really pull a five-star meal out of my a-”

“No, I like fish,”Magnus said, cutting off Alec mid-rant.

Alec sighed, closing his eyes and rubbing the knot at the back of his neck.

“Okay, so what did I do wrong then?I’m pretty lost here”.

Magnus looked over Alec’s shoulder, assessing the progress of the rest of the tribe.Aline and Simon were still gathering enough wood to keep the fire going to cook their meal, while Luke bickered with Sebastian and Mike over the proper way to prepare fish.Noting that everyone was busy completing their tasks, Magnus hopped down from the platform and took Alec by the wrist, dragging him out and away from the campsite.

Alec, once again, felt his breathing stop the second Magnus’ fingers brushed his skin.All too soon, Magnus decided they were far enough from camp and dropped Alec’s wrist.His arm fell loosely back to his side, still burning where the other man’s hand had been.

Magnus, seemingly unaffected by the physical contact, turned on Alec with his arms crossed over his chest and a look of anger he didn’t think Magnus was capable of. 

Lightheaded from the interaction and completely dumbfounded by Magnus’ behavior, Alec just stood there, waiting for Magnus to say something.

After a moment, the other man sighed heavily and spoke up.

“You _really_ don’t know what you did, do you?”He asked.

Alec just stared at him, replaying everything he had done the last two days involving Magnus over and over in his head for the hundredth time.

“No,”Alec replied, voice small, “I really don’t know”.

“Last night at tribal council, you basically ripped Sebastian a new one after he blamed me for our loss,”Magnus replied, looking more annoyed than angry now. 

Alec could feel himself making The Face again, but he couldn’t control it.He couldn’t control any of his emotions around Magnus.

“You’re mad at me...for defending you?”Alec asked, cautiously.

“I don’t need you to defend me!”Magnus threw his arms up, rolling his eyes.“I could have handled it myself, and you made it look like I need someone to come save me from _that douchebag_!He’s been saying shit to me all day, _is your Prince Charming going to come stick up for you again?Alec’s not gonna be here to stand up for you forever_ ,”Magnus stopped, exasperated.“I could have handled it myself”.

Alec was taken aback. _This_ was what had Magnus throwing figurative daggers at him all day?Like Alec had predicted, speaking up at tribal had gotten him in trouble.Admittedly, this was not the kind of trouble Alec was expecting, but still.

“Magnus,”Alec began, tentatively, deciding how he wanted to approach this, “I-I’m sorry that I spoke for you.I know you could have taken him.Honestly... I wasn’t even listening to what was being said, I-I-I kinda spaced out,”Alec smiled sheepishly at the memory, “I heard that dick start coming after you for no reason, and I just lost it.I couldn’t stop myself from speaking up,”Alec looked up to meet Magnus’ eyes.“B-but it won’t happen again.I’m sorry I made you look weak, you’re _not_ weak, Magnus”.

Magnus considered Alec’s stuttered speech for a few agonizingly long moments, before finally deciding it was sincere.Alec watched the tension leave Magnus’ shoulders, and felt his own melt away at the same time.

_Why am I so bothered by the idea of Magnus being mad at me?_

A beautiful grin appeared on Magnus’ face.Alec felt his heart clench and his stomach fill with butterflies.

“I guess I could forgive you,”Magnus said, “ _just this once_ ”.

“Magnus, believe me, I wouldn’t have done it if I knew it was going to make you a target.I have two younger siblings, it’s second nature for me to get defensive over people I-” _care about?I don’t even know the guy_ , “people I am working with.Y-you’re my ally, so-so yeah I’m going to take your side,”The two had already started walking back to camp when Alec lost control of his sentences.Magnus just continued walking, the small ghost of a smile on his lips. 

Alec huffed.

“What I mean is,” he said, taking another deep breath, “you’re a strong player, I know you can take care of yourself, and that’s why Sebastian is trying to come after you.Next time, I’ll let you yell at him instead”.

Magnus chuckled. 

“I would appreciate that.I’ve been waiting for the right moment to let my crazy loose on him, and I feel like that moment is very soon,” Magnus said, a dark look in his eyes that gave Alec the chills.

“Remind me not to get on your bad side again,”Alec said.

Magnus stopped walking, his eyes deep chocolate eyes meeting Alec’s hazel ones.

“Darling, I don’t think you _can_ get on my bad side.Believe me, you’ll know my bad side, and this little chat was nothing in comparison,”Magnus paused, but the serious tone quickly disappeared.“Come on, let’s get back before they eat all of _your_ fish,”he said, flashing a wink at Alec and continuing down the path back to the others without a second glance.

Alec’s was frozen, unable to will his feet to carry him back to camp.

Magnus was a hurricane, and Alec felt a storm coming his way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely readers! I hope you enjoy this chapter :)
> 
> Thank you all for the beautiful comments and kudos! You really know how to make a gal smile :) :) 
> 
> Quick note: I don't have a beta and I'm one of those lazy trash writers who likes to post without proofreading so sorry if there's weird typos! I'm doing my best.
> 
> This chapter was a little different than my normal format. I'm the worst angst writer (I've got a weak heart and I cry a lot, sue me) so sorry if it wasn't really ~angsty^TM~. There will be more angst later on so I'm trying to get better :) Next chapter will be back to my normal format with a challenge! 
> 
> As always, kudos & comments make me happy :)
> 
> come chat on tumblr @ perpetual-j0urney.tumblr.com
> 
> KC xx


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